Histochemistry Of Muscles Research Articles

Controlled Chaos: Three-Dimensional Kinematics, Fiber Histochemistry, and Muscle Contractile Dynamics of Autotomized Lizard Tails

The ability to shed an appendage occurs in both vertebrates and invertebrates, often as a tactic to avoid predation. The tails of lizards, unlike most autotomized body parts of animals, exhibit complex and vigorous movements once disconnected from the body. Despite the near ubiquity of autotomy across groups of lizards and the fact that this is an extraordinary event involving the self-severing of the spinal cord, our understanding of why and how tails move as they do following autotomy is sparse. We herein explore the histochemistry and physiology of the tail muscles of the leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius), a species that exhibits vigorous and variable tail movements following autotomy. To confirm that the previously studied tail movements of this species are generally representative of geckos and therefore suitable for in-depth muscle studies, we quantified the three-dimensional kinematics of autotomized tails in three additional species. The movements of the tails of all species were generally similar and included jumps, flips, and swings. Our preliminary analyses suggest that some species of gecko exhibit short but high-frequency movements, whereas others exhibit larger-amplitude but lower-frequency movements. We then compared the ATPase and oxidative capacity of muscle fibers and contractile dynamics of isolated muscle bundles from original tails, muscle from regenerate tails, and fast fibers from an upper limb muscle (iliofibularis) of the leopard gecko. Histochemical analysis revealed that more than 90% of the fibers in original and regenerate caudal muscles had high ATPase but possessed a superficial layer of fibers with low ATPase and high oxidative capacity. We found that contraction kinetics, isometric force, work, power output, and the oscillation frequency at which maximum power was generated were lowest in the original tail, followed by the regenerate tail and then the fast fibers of the iliofibularis. Muscle from the original tail exhibited greater resistance to fatigue, followed by the regenerate tail and then the fast iliofibularis fibers. These results suggest that the relatively slow and oxidative fibers found within the tail musculature have a significant impact on contractile function, which translates into a trade-off between longevity of performance and power after autotomy.

Altered Pharyngeal Muscles in Parkinson Disease

Dysphagia (impaired swallowing) is common in patients with Parkinson disease (PD) and is related to aspiration pneumonia, the primary cause of death in PD. Therapies that ameliorate the limb motor symptoms of PD are ineffective for dysphagia. This suggests that the pathophysiology of PD dysphagia may differ from that affecting limb muscles, but little is known about potential neuromuscular abnormalities in the swallowing muscles in PD. This study examined the fiber histochemistry of pharyngeal constrictor and cricopharyngeal sphincter muscles in postmortem specimens from 8 subjects with PD and 4 age-matched control subjects. Pharyngeal muscles in subjects with PD exhibited many atrophic fibers, fiber type grouping, and fast-to-slow myosin heavy chain transformation. These alterations indicate that the pharyngeal muscles experienced neural degeneration and regeneration over the course of PD. Notably, subjects with PD with dysphagia had a higher percentage of atrophic myofibers versus with those without dysphagia and controls. The fast-to-slow fiber-type transition is consistent with abnormalities in swallowing, slow movement of food, and increased tone in the cricopharyngeal sphincter in subjects with PD. The alterations in the pharyngeal muscles may play a pathogenic role in the development of dysphagia in subjects with PD.

Experimental research of promoting revascularization of tracheal transplantation by gene therapy

To investigate methods of promoting revascularization of tracheal transplantation to increase the length of graft. Transfer recombinant plasmid pcDNA3.1/myc-His(-)C-bFGF and pCD(2)-VEGF(121) into rabbit cervical muscle by direct injection of plasmid following electric pulses in vivo. Use histochemistry and immunohistochemistry analysis of muscles injected to show the transferred gene expression and the biological effect. Based on the former experiment, conduct gene therapy to the rabbit tracheal autotransplantation wrapped by cervical combined muscles by injecting plasmid DNA directly, combined with gene sutures following electric pulses. Observe and analyze the effect on trachea viability. The recombinant plasmid, pcDNA3.1/myc-His(-)C-bFGF and pCD(2)-VEGF(121) was transferred into muscles flap in vivo successfully. The active protein bFGF and VEGF(121) were expressed at high levels. Blood vessels increased significantly in the muscles, and blood circulation was improved by local angiogenesis. Ten rings tracheal autograft wrapped by transgenic muscles integrating with gene structure revascularized completely, and the rabbit survived for a long period of time. There was significant difference between gene therapy group and control group (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference between bFGF gene therapy group and VEGF(121) gene therapy group. Almost rabbits in the control group died of graft necrosis. Tracheal grafts revascularization can be established early by the cervical combined muscles flap wrapping associated with single gene therapy. The length of the tracheal can be increased simultaneously.

Anatomy and histochemistry of flight muscles in a wing-propelled diving bird, the Atlantic puffin, Fratercula arctica.

Twenty-three species within the avian family Alcidae are capable of wing-propelled flight in the air and underwater. Alcids have been viewed as Northern Hemisphere parallels to penguins, and have often been studied to see if their underwater flight comes at a cost, compromising their aerial flying ability. We examined the anatomy and histochemistry of select wing muscles (Mm. pectoralis, supracoracoideus, latissimus dorsi caudalis, coracobrachialis caudalis, triceps scapularis, and scapulohumeralis caudalis) from Atlantic puffins (Fratercula arctica) to assess if the muscle fiber types reveal the existence of a compromise associated with "dual-medium" flight. Pectoralis was found to be proportional in size with that of nondiving species, although the supracoracoideus was proportionally larger in puffins. Muscle fiber types were largely aerobic in both muscles, with two distinct fast-twitch types demonstrable: a smaller, aerobic, moderately glycolytic population (FOg), and a larger, moderately aerobic, glycolytic population (FoG). The presence of these two fiber types in the primary flight muscles of puffins suggests that aerial and underwater flight necessitate a largely aerobic fiber complement. We suggest that alcids do not represent an adaptive compromise, but a stable adaptation for wing-propelled locomotion both in the air and underwater.

Morphometry, histochemistry, and innervation of cervical shoulder muscles in the cat.

Morphometric and histochemical methods were used to estimate the force-developing capabilities and fiber-type contents of four muscle complexes (rhomboideus, levator scapulae, trapezius, and sternomastoideus) that link the shoulder girdle to the skull and cervical vertebrae. Each complex contained at least two member muscles that were distinctive architecturally and often had specialized innervation patterns. Trapezius and sternocleidomastoideus were innervated by both cranial nerve XI and cervical spinal nerves. Glycogen depletion of trapezius suggested that the nerves derived from cervical roots might be entirely sensory. Muscles within each complex varied in physiological cross-sectional area from less than 0.1 cm2 to greater than 1 cm2. They showed differences in fiber-type composition that suggested specialized roles for different behaviors. The morphometric features of the cervical shoulder muscles suggest that they have considerable potential to produce head movements and should be incorporated into feline head-movement models.

Effects of Ephedrine and Caffeine on Chemical Composition and Histochemistry of Muscles in the Pig

Effects of Ephedrine and Caffeine on Chemical Composition and Histochemistry of Muscles in the Pig

Suboccipital muscles in the cat neck: morphometry and histochemistry of the rectus capitis muscle complex.

The morphometry, histochemistry, and biomechanical relationships of rectus capitis muscles were examined in adult cats. This family of muscles contained six members on the dorsal, ventral, and lateral aspects of the upper cervical vertebral column. Three dorsal muscles (rectus capitis posterior major, medius, and minor) formed a layered complex spanning from C1 and C2 to the skull. Rectus capitis posterior major was composed predominantly of fast fibers, but the other two deeper muscles contained progressively higher proportions of slow fibers. One ventral muscle, rectus capitis anterior major, was architecturally complex. It originated from several cervical vertebrae and appeared to be divided into two different heads. In contrast, rectus capitis anterior minor and rectus capitis lateralis were short, parallel-fibered muscles spanning between the skull and C1. The ventral muscles all had nonuniform distributions of muscle-fiber types in which fast fibers predominated. Dorsal and ventral muscle groupings usually had cross-sectional areas of 0.5 cm2 or more, reflecting a potential capacity to generate maximal tetanic force in excess of 9 N. Biomechanical analyses suggested that one muscle, rectus capitis lateralis, had its largest moment in lateral flexion, whereas the other muscles had large, posturally dependent moment arms appropriate for actions in flexion-extension. The observation that most rectus muscles have relatively large cross-sectional areas and high fast-fiber proportions suggests that the muscles may have important phasic as well as postural roles during head movement.

The effect of a six day sucrose diet on isometric contractile characteristics and histochemistry of rat muscles

Zusammenfassung Der Einflus einer Sukroselosung-Diat auf isometrische, kontraktile und histochemische Eigenschaften bei Rattenmuskeln Es ist bekannt, das Unterernahrung eine Verringerung der Muskelmasse verursacht, dabei wurden bei kurzfristiger Unterernahrung Veranderungen in den kontraktilen Eigenschaften der Skelettmuskel gefunden. Nach der Versorgung von Ratten mit Sukroselosungen als Trinkwasser uber 6 d wurden isometrische, kontraktile und histochemische Eigenschaften des langsam kontrahierenden m. soleus und des schnell kontrahierenden m. extensor digitorum longus (EDL) untersucht. Eine kurzfristige Unterernahrung fuhrte im m. soleus zu einem Anstieg der Zeit bis zur hochsten Kontraktion und bis zur halben Relaxion. Im EDL wurden keine Unterschiede beobachtet. Da keine Muskelfasertyp-Veranderungen gefunden wurden, mussen diese Veranderungen auf Stoffwechselveranderungen zuruckgefuhrt werden. Diese These wird dadurch unterstutzt, das eine Realimentation uber 24 h zu einem normalen Muskelverhalten fuhrte.

Myofibrillar ATPase histochemistry of rat skeletal muscles: a "two-dimensional" quantitative approach.

In histochemical investigations of skeletal muscle, the fibers are commonly classified into three types according to their staining for myofibrillar ATPase (mATPase). In serial sections of skeletal muscles from normal Wistar rats, we compared two common staining methods for mATPase: (a) an ac-ATPase technique, with pre-incubation at pH 4.7, and (b) a fixed alk-ATPase technique, using treatment with 5% paraformaldehyde followed by pre-incubation at pH 10.4. In addition, the same fibers were stained in subsequent serial sections for succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity. Staining intensities were objectively evaluated by microphotometric measurements of optical density. Combining both mATPase methods in consecutive serial sections ("two-dimensional approach") led to the identification of four distinct clusters of fibers: Types I, IIA, and two subgroups of Type IIB, as separated by their staining densities for fixed alk-ATPase (IIBd dark, IIBm moderate). The mean intensity of SDH staining per fiber type, as measured in the central core of the fibers, was ranked such that IIA greater than I greater than IIBd greater than IIBm. The analyzed muscles (tibialis anterior, biceps brachii) were markedly heterogeneous with respect to the topographic distribution of different fiber types. In comparison to other muscle portions, the regions containing Type I fibers ("red" portions) showed a higher IIBd vs IIBm ratio and more intense SDH staining for either subtype of the IIB fibers. The IIBd fibers probably correspond to the Type 2X fibers of Schiaffino et al.

Histochemistry of flight muscles in the jamaican fruit bat, Artibeus jamaicensis: Implications for motor control

Two fast-twitch fiber types are histochemically identified in the primary flight muscles of Artibeus jamaicensis. These are classified as type IIa and IIb according to an acid-preincubation staining protocol for myosin ATPase. All fibers in the bat flight muscles exhibit relatively intense staining properties for NADH-TR, suggesting a high oxidative capacity. The glycolytic potential of all fibers is rather low, as assessed by stains for alpha-GPD. This two-type histochemical profile appears to parallel biphasic electromyographic patterns observed in these muscles and leads us to propose that flight muscle histochemistry and activation are mediated by a "two-gear" neuromuscular control system. In contrast, earlier studies on Tadarida brasiliensis demonstrate the existence of a "one-gear" neuromuscular control system, exemplified by the presence of one fiber type. These observations are discussed with respect to the natural history and flight styles of several species.

Quantitative analysis of cervical musculature in rats: histochemical composition and motor pool organization. II. Deep dorsal muscles.

In this paper we characterize the architecture, histochemistry, spindle composition, and motor pool organization of rat dorsal neck muscles: splenius (SP), biventer cervicis (BC), and complexus (COM). We also consider whether individual rat neck muscles are innervated by more than one population of motor neurons as they are in turtles and cats and whether in these muscles motor neuron size scales with muscle fiber type. Dorsal neck muscles are divided by tendinous inscriptions into quasiserially arranged compartments. Each compartment is supplied by a separate peripheral nerve branch from C1-C5 dorsal rami; thus each dorsal neck muscle is innervated from multiple segments. Our histochemical data indicate that slow-twitch oxidative (SO) fibers are always the least numerous group, and fast fibers are split almost equally between fast oxidative glycolytic (FOG) and fast glycolytic (FG) types. There are significant cross-muscle differences in the relative frequency of each fiber type. Topographic analyses reveal a mosaic pattern of fiber types with no clear compartmentalization, and muscle spindle distribution is essentially homogeneous. Motor neurons supplying rat dorsal neck muscles are restricted to the ventral third of the ipsilateral ventral horn from lower medulla to C4. The SP motor pool is located dorsally in the ventral horn, and BC and COM motor pools form overlapping columns in the tip. There is little evidence that these muscles are supplied by more than one population of motor neurons, as reported in turtles and cats. To help assess these differing results, in two cats we infiltrated the C2 nerve to BC and COM; our results were similar to those previously reported in cats including the presence of contralateral motor neurons. Thus disparate results between rat and cat experiments may represent species differences in neck muscle innervation. In five experiments we made direct comparisons between the sizes of motor neurons that supply muscles with significantly different histochemical compositions. In each case there was a difference in mean soma size in the direction predicted by the muscles' histochemical profiles, thus suggesting that in these muscles motor neuron size may scale with muscle fiber type.

Correlation between histochemistry and muscle activity of jaw muscles in cats.

Studies on limb muscles of mammals indicate that the pattern of electromyographic (EMG) activity reflects the histochemical profile of the muscle. This relationship suggests that EMG activity may permit a prediction of certain morphological characteristics of the muscle being studied. In this study numerical descriptors of EMG activity of the masticatory muscles of cats are correlated with the distribution of fiber types, as well as with fiber and fascicle areas, to test the extent to which EMG can be used to predict regional morphology. The results show that the level of EMG activity and its duration have a significant positive correlation with the percentage of slow- and fast-twitch fatigue-resistant fibers and a significant negative correlation with the percentage of fast-twitch fatigable fibers and the ratio of fast-twitch fatigable to fast-twitch fatigue-resistant, plus slow fibers. No correlation was found between activity and fiber cross-sectional area; the descriptors showing significant correlation vary with the hardness of the food. Thus the level of EMG activity and its duration seemingly do provide an indicator of the relative difference in fiber distribution among muscles in a species.

Diverse fiber composition of swimming muscles in the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus

The gross morphology and histochemistry of basal swimming muscles of the fifth pereiopod of the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, were investigated. Each of the major muscles has two to three discrete branches and contains fibers ranging in colour from white to deep pink. The coloration is correlated with mitochondrial density. Deep pink fibers show intense NADH diaphorase staining, indicative of high oxidative capacity, while white fibers show very little staining, indicative of low oxidative capacity. Myrofibrillar ATPase activities are inversely correlated with oxidative capacities. The deep pink region of the levator muscle (muscle F) shows higher phosphorylase (glycolytic) activity, higher polysaccharide content and shorter sarcomere length than the white region. Such differentiation within a single muscle suggests considerable functional versatility.

Metabolic sources of heat and power in tuna muscles. I. Muscle fine structure.

As part of an investigation into the generation of muscle heat in the tuna, the histochemistry and ultrastructure of the myotomal muscles were studied. Both red and white fibres are differentiated into two forms. The two forms of red muscle are very similar except for differential electron absorbance and different kinds of glycogen granules stored. In both forms, capillarity, mitochondrial numbers, and intracellular lipid droplets are abundant, implying the potential for a vigorous aerobic metabolism. During bursts of swimming, glycogen granules and intracellular lipid droplets are both largely depleted. The two types of white fibre differ in electron absorbance, pinocyotic activity, glycogen abundance, and insertion pattern, all of which are more pronounced in the 'dense' fibre form. Several features of tuna white muscle are unique or unusually developed. Thus, tuna muscle contains more glycogen than does red muscle. Glycogen granules may be randomly dispersed in myofibrillar or peripheral regions or may be sequestered in membrane-bound structures termed glycogen bodies. During short bursts of swimming, glycogen granules from all storage sites are mobilized. The white muscle has an ample capillary supply, small, but significant, amounts of intracellular lipid, and unusual numbers of mitochondria.

Histochemistry of some trout respiratory muscles

A histochemical study has been made of the main cranial muscles which produce ventilation movements of the rainbow trout. It is shown that a greater proportion of red(aerobic) fibres is present in those muscles known to be active during shallow ventilation than those which become active at greater ventilation volumes. An ordered recruitment of red, pink and white fibres within these muscles is also likely.

Morphology and enzyme histochemistry of dorsal muscles of the cat neck

An examination has been made of the five dorsal muscles of the cat neck which insert into the lamboidal crest. The three larger muscles, splenius, biventer cervicis, and complexus, are characterized by the presence of tendinous inscriptions which serve as the insertion points of shorter muscle fibers which do not run the length of the muscle. Longer fibers are bound by the inscriptions and, thus can transmit tension developed by shorter fibers. These three muscles are multiply innervater by nerves emerging from upper cervical spinal roots. Multiple innervation is not associated with multiple end plates but with arrangement so that lower roots innervate a high proportion of short fibers and higher roots, a high proportion of long fibers. Occipitoscapularis and rectus capitis major are, by comparison, simple muscles, each with a single motor nerve. Of the muscles examined, occipitoscapularis alone does not have its origin on the vertebral column but on the scapula, and is unlikely to have any major function in head movement.

Histochemistry of primate extraocular muscles and the changes of denervation.

Histochemistry of primate extraocular muscles and the changes of denervation.

Electron microscopic study of the muscle changes in diabetic amyotrophy.

Seven cases of diabetic amyotrophy were investigated by histochemistry and electron microscopy of biopsied muscles. Type II fibre atrophy of various grades was observed in the proximal atrophic muscles. Various changes of Z-band were observed in type II atrophic muscle fibres. In addition, mitochondrial changes, accumulation of glycogen, thickening of the capillary basement membrane and changes in the intramuscular nerves were also observed, both in the proximal and distal muscles. Some impaired motoneuron innervation of proximal muscles as well as distal muscles in a poorly controlled diabetic condition is suspected in “diabetic amyotrophy”.

Scalene and sternomastoid muscle function.

Scalene and sternomastoid muscle function.